


Stolen Hearts and Holiday Seasons

by lgbtfiction_writer



Category: Love Victor (TV 2020)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, New Year's Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:27:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27746701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lgbtfiction_writer/pseuds/lgbtfiction_writer
Summary: Benji and Victor faced a falling out over the holidays, and now they must reconcile with the consequences. How will this affect their lives going forward, and what is next for this young couple?"I swear I'd love you right."
Relationships: Benjamin "Benji" Campbell/Victor Salazar
Comments: 32
Kudos: 15
Collections: Venji Fic Fests: Winter Holidays 2020





	1. Back to December

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! To get into the holiday spirit, here is a progression of Venji holidays! Each chapter is based in a song by Taylor Swift. Shoutout to [ThatOneGaySlytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneGaySlytherin/pseuds/ThatOneGaySlytherin), whose folklore-based series inspired the idea! The first chapter is inspired by the song, "Back to December". Enjoy!

_Christmas Eve 2021_

Victor awaits a response after he knocks on the door to Benji’s apartment. One year. It has really been that long. Yet somehow, no amount of glancing down at the calendar on his phone or recounting the events since the last Christmas Eve could make Victor believe it. One whole year without so much as talking to the love of his life. It is a miracle that Benji even agreed to this; Victor never thought that Benji would make time for him again after what happened, but alas, here they are.

Victor’s nerves tense as he hears the deadbolt lock on Benji’s door grind open. The knob turns, and Benji slowly opens the door just a few inches. After a year apart, all that separates them now are a few feet of space and a security chain lock that Benji has yet to undo.

“Hey,” Victor says, his breathing somewhat heavy as he is initially met with a silent stare from his ex.

Victor pauses, not knowing what else to say in this moment. He knows that there is not much he can say. It is best to ease into the substance of the conversation, especially since it has been so long. Reopening old wounds would be difficult for both of them, and healing would take time and patience. But it’s worth it.

“Hey,” Benji responds after some pause of his own, unsure about how to approach the situation. After being up on a high and flying so close to the sun, he does not want to get burned again. _Victor_ broke up with _him_. Why would he be back now? And why would Benji want to entertain the idea? Broken hearts don’t mend if they are not given space to heal, and yet, one year later, Benji can’t seem to keep himself away. Still, he keeps up his defense, their previous meeting etched into his memory like an engraving on a tombstone.

"You ready to go?” Victor asks Benji cautiously without approaching any closer, knowing that space is important in this matter.

“Yeah,” Benji nods hesitantly. He slowly undoes the chain on the door and walks out of the apartment, locking the door behind him.

Victor takes a couple of steps back as Benji exits, careful not to push boundaries too far.

The two of them walk out into the frigid winter air, their bones stiff and their eyes fixed ahead of themselves rather than on each other. They walk to that godforsaken coffee shop where it all happened, both of them wondering why the hell they chose that as their destination. Of course, they both knew that it was the only place open on Christmas Eve, as Brasstown wasn’t, and they had both decided that it would be best not to stick around at each other’s places; they liked the idea of having privacy, but the awkwardness might be far too much for them to bear.

As they walk, they pass the marvelous winter rose garden where Benji had taken Victor on their last date. Benji had picked one for him, but the gesture was not exactly taken sweetly. It seemed odd to Victor, at the time, that roses could grow in the winter. He was skeptical of the concept if even they were real. After some reflection, though, he concluded that with enough care and effort, any seeds could be nurtured into something beautiful even under inopportune circumstances; if care is not taken, the flowers wilt and die even under the best ones. The beauty of the largest rosebush in the garden strikes Victor in a way that it has not done before. Maybe he realizes that it is hard to see the beauty in something before losing it and missing it. Maybe it is a year’s perspective that makes the difference. But Victor now sees the roses, whereas before, he could only see the thorns.

Most of the walk is silent, and they arrive at the coffee shop. As they enter, they can hear music playing over the speakers. Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” plays softly as the two of them walk up to the counter separately to order their drinks. It has been eleven years since the last time it snowed in Atlanta on Christmas; barring some sort of miracle, it may never happen again.

Victor and Benji sit down with their coffees; a pervasive silence fills the air.

“So, uh,” Victor attempts to begin the conversation lightly. “How have you been?”

“Alright, I guess,” Benji answers, surprisingly without the bitterness that he expected would take over his voice. “Busy. Adjusting to college has been – interesting – to say the least. At least I get a break now.”

“Hmm, yeah,” Victor chortles.

Benji had considered the University of Georgia because of their music program, but he had second thoughts and opted for community college instead. It is kind of nice because it allows him to stay in the city.

“How are things at Brasstown?” Benji asks.

“Oh, it’s, uh – it’s been kind of a mess since you left,” Victor chuckles.

 _I’ve been kind of a mess since you left_ , are the words that Benji wants to say to Victor in this moment, but he knows he can’t. All that Benji has done all year is wonder what he possibly could have done wrong. Their relationship a year ago seemed to be going so smoothly, and out of nowhere, Victor just drops him. Benji had never given Victor anything but love, and it seemed that Victor had done the same for a while. Every insecurity that Benji had, Victor would find a way to ease it. Every time something from Benji’s past came up that he didn’t like thinking about, Victor would open him up to talking about it and help him put it in perspective. Victor was everything that Benji needed and wanted. He put in as much effort as he possibly could, and that still somehow wasn’t enough. And on Christmas Eve! Who dumps someone on Christmas Eve?

Benji decides to change the subject instead, “It’s, uh, pretty cold, huh?”

“Yeah,” Victor replies. He was never extraordinarily fond of winter. He always preferred warm weather to cold weather. He also never particularly liked the time of the year when the sun would set earlier, submerging the world into darkness for longer than he could handle.

“And the family?” Benji asks.

“Good,” Victor replies, trying to force a smile but knowing what he is here to do. “Pilar and Adrian are doing well in school, and my parents seem to be starting to work things out.”

“That’s good,” Benji says, smiling because he is genuinely happy to hear good news.

At the sight of Benji’s smile, Victor’s heart crumbles. Guilt overwhelms him, and he knows that Benji never deserved this. To Victor, it all just felt too easy. He came out and immediately ended up with the first out gay guy he met. There had been a nagging presence in the back of his mind that questioned whether Victor actually loved Benji or just went for it because he thought it would be the only shot he had at finding love with a guy. And he would think, _What if this is it? What if I never get to be with another guy again because I’ve settled too early?_ That fear would constantly creep into his mind. But now, Victor knows the answer. He _wants_ this to be it. He doesn’t want anyone else. He loves Benji; he always has, and he still does.

Victor can’t stand the small talk anymore. It’s time to get to the substance. He didn’t want to force the topic onto Benji too soon, but already, none of this feels right.

“Benji, I’m sorry,” Victor says suddenly, his heart pounding in his chest.

Benji sinks back into his chair and hangs his head as he listens, his eyes slowly moving back and forth between Victor and the floor.

“I know that it’s been a long time, and I know that you probably won’t forgive me, but I made a mistake, Benji. I miss you. A lot.”

The other stays silent, contemplating the meaning and level of truthfulness behind Victor’s words.

“I was afraid that we would get stuck, but now I realize that I don’t think I could ever feel _stuck_ with you. I love you. I mean that now and every time I’ve said it before.”

There is a pause as Benji nods in understanding. He is still hurt, but he believes what Victor says.

Victor sighs, releasing some of the tension that had built up as he waited to say all of those things.

“This is probably a pipe dream at this point,” Victor continues, looking defeated, “but I never want to hurt you like that again. If I could undo the past, I would, but that’s not possible. I just want to be honest with you and express how I feel – and love you. And if you’re ever able to love me again--”

“Again?” Benji sits up in earnest disbelief. “Victor, I never stopped.”

Victor stares, his eyes wide, meeting Benji’s, desperation staining both of their expressions. He doesn’t know what else to say. So he settles on, “I _never_ want to shut you out again.”

Tears swell in both of their eyes as they reflect on the year without each other.

“I don’t want to do that either,” Benji says through a thick stream of tears. “I miss you, too.”

Without much notice, Benji takes Victor’s hands from across the table. They softly smile at each other, and despite a year apart, this feels right. To Benji, the feeling of Victor’s soft touch and the way that the light illuminates his skin is enough to sweep away all of the hurt. To Victor, seeing Benji’s smile indicates forgiveness. They know that they can’t ignore what happened forever, but they enjoy this moment. They will have to deal with this in time, but right now, all that matters is each other.


	2. New Year's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benji and Victor have rekindled their relationship on Christmas Eve. Their new new relationship is still fresh. What are their next steps?
> 
> "Please don't ever become a stranger..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! To get into the holiday spirit, here is a progression of Venji holidays! Each chapter is based in a song by Taylor Swift. Shoutout to [ThatOneGaySlytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneGaySlytherin/pseuds/ThatOneGaySlytherin), whose folklore-based series inspired the idea! The second chapter is inspired by the song, "New Year's Day". Enjoy!

Spending so much time apart allowed Victor and Benji to rediscover themselves and each other. All it did was make them realize how much they missed each other and really wanted each other. Although it was unplanned, it makes sense; it worked for Armando and Isabel, and it worked for this young couple.

Only having had a week so far to mend things, Victor’s hesitation when Benji invited him over for a New Year’s Eve party was understandable.

“I want to invite all of our friends,” Benji had told him. “Mia, Lake, Felix, Andrew – and they can invite some people, too, if they want.”

“Won’t that be a little tight?” Victor had asked. “Your apartment isn’t that big.”

“You haven’t even been inside.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been in the building. There’s no way there is that much space.”

“We’ll manage.”

“Are you sure you want me over?”

“Victor, I couldn’t imagine celebrating this without you.” Benji had almost said “again” at the end of that sentence, but he decided that it wasn’t in either of their best interest to dwell on that.

“I’ll be there,” Victor said with a smile, feeling assured.

“I’ll come pick you up.”

“Benji, you don’t have to--”

“I want to.”

“But you don’t drive--”

“We’ll take the bus.”

“Are you sure?” To Victor, it had seemed like a lot of unnecessary effort on Benji’s part to offer taking public transportation just to escort Victor to a place that was rather easily accessible. Still, though, he was appreciative that Benji was willing to put in that kind of effort after what they had both endured.

“I am absolutely sure.”

Now, Victor eagerly awaits the moment that his boyfriend comes to pick him up, filled with both excitement and uncertainty.

* * *

Benji leaves early to go get Victor. He wants the two of them to have some time together before the other guests arrive. It is cold, but it is not as cold as it was a week ago. That or it just doesn’t seem to bother him as much.

While on the bus, Benji is able to enjoy the ride as much as he looks forward to his destination. The time of reflection benefits him as he looks back on how he has grown in his year without Victor. His progress in life was not halted in its tracks; he was able to graduate, adjust well to community college, and find who he is without having a boyfriend to validate him. In a lot of ways, he grew into a better, more mature person. He did all of this while missing Victor, but rather than feeling as though Victor held him back from that, Benji feels that this newer version of himself is something he wants to share with Victor. He can only infer that Victor has grown in this time, too, whether by choice or not. He knows that they can continue to grow together.

As the bus pulls up to the stop nearest Victor’s apartment, Benji does not feel the nerves that he previously believed he should feel. They have seen each other every day since Christmas, so it’s not like they’re meeting for the first time, but something about celebrating the New Year together seems like a big deal. There is a particular level of intimacy that comes along with sharing your resolutions and standing beside someone at the beginning of a fresh start. In a way, however, Victor and Benji have already experienced that sort of dawning of a new era. It is almost as if their relationship had been renewed after some delay and they both made resolutions of their own.

Benji gets off the bus, and he walks through the cool air up to Victor’s apartment. He knows that Felix lives in the same building, and the thought about asking Felix to join them does cross his mind, but he wants to be alone with Victor. Besides, he and Victor have already filled Felix in on the situation, and Felix understood, so Benji decides that it wouldn’t be an issue nor perceived as rude just to take Victor along. Benji will see Felix later at the party.

When Benji knocks on Victor’s door and Victor opens it, somehow, Benji feels at home.

* * *

“Hey,” Victor says as he opens the door, much less tense than a week ago when he had invited himself to Benji’s place. “You’re early.”

“Yeah,” Benji chuckles, a little embarrassed as his face begins to turn a little bit red, both from the cold and from a slight nervousness. “I wanted to spend some time with you before people started to show up. Is that cool?”

“Uh, yeah,” Victor smiles. “Just let me grab a jacket, and we can get going.”

“Great,” Benji smiles back at Victor.

“Uh, you can come in while I go to get it,” Victor tells him.

Benji thanks him and steps into the apartment.

Victor goes to his room and finds the denim jacket that Simon gave him. He puts it on in a hurry because he doesn’t want to keep Benji waiting.

“Are you still wearing that thing?” Benji pokes fun as Victor walks out in the jacket.

“What?” Victor asks in playful defense. “It’s warm and comfortable.”

The truth is that Victor hadn’t actually worn that jacket in over a year. He knew that it wasn’t exactly the most fashionable choice of outfit, but there was something sentimental about it. It hadn’t held onto its meaning while Victor and Benji were apart, but now it just feels right again.

“Suit yourself,” Benji says, laughing at the realization that Victor’s questionable taste hasn’t changed much. “Maybe your New Year’s resolution can be getting a new wardrobe.”

Victor simply laughs off the response, and they head downstairs and around the block to wait for the next bus to take them back to Benji’s apartment.

When the bus does come, Victor realizes that he didn’t bring enough to pay the bus fare. Frustration hits him as Benji is already on the bus and he can’t get on. He turns around to go back to his apartment, noting that he’ll just pay the fare and ride on his own, but before he can do that, Benji offers to pay it for him.

“Are you sure?” Victor asks, not wanting to make Benji pay when Benji has rent to pay and he doesn’t.

“Victor, it’s fine,” Benji laughs. “Just get on the bus.”

Victor grins in response as he walks up the stairs and onto the bus, following Benji to the back where they can have a little bit more privacy.

As the two boys sit down, Victor does get nervous. He recognizes that he is the one who freaked out and temporarily ended things a year ago and that that could come back to Benji’s mind at any moment. Noting this, he reaches for Benji’s hand, and their fingers interlock. Not wanting to let go, Victor squeezes Benji’s hand tighter than he ever has before, almost to the point where it hurts. Benji notices this, and he squeezes back, letting Victor know that he is not going anywhere.

They finish the rest of the ride in silence, their hands never breaking apart. The ride is not that long, but it feels like they are frozen in time.

* * *

“This is it,” Benji says as they approach his stop.

The boys get off the bus, and Benji leads Victor up to the apartment. To Victor, the environment seems different than it had a week ago. The halls seem wider, yet cozier. It also seems to be brighter. He can’t, however, put his finger on any one detail that has actually changed.

Benji opens the door to his apartment and welcomes Victor inside. The floor isn’t carpeted; the wood has a particular shine that makes the room feel clean and open. It actually seems bigger than Victor had imagined it would be.

“What do you think?” Benji asks as he closes the door behind him.

“Benji, this is great,” he responds. “I don’t mean to be one to press about money, but you must have gotten a really good deal to be able to afford this.”

“Yeah, I did, actually. The landlord was kind of desperate for tenants, I guess because it had been a bad year. So she offered me cheap rent with a long lease.”

"I’m really happy for you that you were able to find this,” Victor says, smiling.

“Me too.”

“So what do you want to do now?”

“We can just hang out a bit,” Benji replies. “I kind of just want to be with you for a while. Can I show you my room?”

“Sounds good,” Victor nods.

Benji opens a door not far from where they are standing, leading to the singular bedroom in the apartment.

“It’s not much,” Benji replies, “but it’s cozy.”

Something catches Victor’s eye immediately. A stack of pictures that looks like it had been knocked over – it had, as Benji was in a rush to catch the bus to meet Victor and didn’t bother to pick them up – lay on the floor next to Benji’s dresser. Instead of responding to Benji, Victor slowly walks over to the pictures and picks them up to look through them. All of the pictures are either of them together or one of the two of them taken by the other. A month’s worth of pictures stare up at Victor as he sorts through them, Benji standing by and watching calmly. As Victor gets to the last picture in the stack, he recognizes it to be the first picture taken by that camera: Benji and Victor sitting under the stars at Low Gap, enjoying the peace and quiet, right before the first time they truly confessed their love to each other.

Victor stares at that last picture for a few moments, reflecting on a time that seems so long ago, but is also somehow still fresh in his mind. He slowly turns around to address Benji.

“You kept these?” he asks, not sure whether a smile is appropriate in this moment.

“Yep,” Benji said.

“But why?” Victor asks for clarification. He shakes his head. “After all this time…”

“Victor, you gave me that camera because you said you wanted to be able to capture moments in time. Well, what happened last Christmas Eve is exactly the reason I wanted to capture those moments. Because nothing is permanent. The time we spent together was so good, and I knew that even if I didn’t get to hold onto this relationship, at least I would get to have these memories.”

Victor sighs out of a mix of emotions. He feels grateful that he was appreciated enough for Benji to want to keep around those memories. He also feels guilty and unworthy of Benji’s love at this point. Benji kept pictures from their time together and made as much as possible from the moments they shared, and Victor still broke up with him. Benji deserves someone so much better than him.

“Victor,” Benji speaks after noticing Victor’s long silence. As if reading Victor’s mind, he assures his boyfriend, “I love you, and I want you here right now. There is absolutely no one else I would rather be with. Those pictures don’t just have to be the past. They can be glimpses of the future, too.”

Victor puts the pictures down as Benji approaches him, and the two boys sink into each other’s soft embrace. They give themselves a couple of minutes just to enjoy the way that their bodies feel against each other. Benji’s warm breath on Victor’s neck feels comfortable and familiar, and it almost makes him forget how odd their situation actually is. Thankfully, the oddity is good, given that what makes the situation so unique is that Benji actually took him back.

* * *

Victor and Benji spend their time preparing for the party. They are happy to be with each other doing regular tasks and just existing by each other’s sides. Plus, it won’t be that long until guests arrive, so they need to make sure that they are prepared.

There is a distinctly familiar knock at the door; Victor recognizes it more quickly than Benji, but they both know who is there.

Benji rushes over to let their first guest in.

“Howdy!” Felix greets them overenthusiastically as he invites himself in. He wears a party hat and comically large glasses in the shape of the number of the New Year, a box of sparklers in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

“Felix, where and how did you get that at seventeen years old?” Victor asks, motioning to the bottle of champagne.

“Oh, my mom let me bring it over,” he answers. “She doesn’t really care that much.”

“Ok,” Victor says with a swish of his eyebrows.

Benji laughs at the interaction. He still doesn’t drink. He has been sober for far too long to start up again now. Thankfully, though, he is now at the point where he doesn’t mind others drinking around him. It doesn’t bother him nearly as much as it used to, and he no longer feels the temptation.

“You know we can’t light those inside, right?” Benji points out to Felix. “My landlord will go crazy.”

“Aw, boo!” Felix replies, putting down the sparklers. “Then maybe we’ll just have to go outside.”

The other two boys laugh as Felix situates himself. To their surprise and relief, Felix doesn’t bring up the unsteady nature of their relationship. He just lets it be. Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, it does not stay that way when other guests arrive. Lake has a lot of questions, and she is not exactly patient in waiting for answers. Benji and Victor are used to her by now, though, so they remain relatively unfazed. Mia has some hesitations about the situation. She had come around to Benji’s and Victor’s relationship, but as soon as she heard that Victor broke up with him for what seemed like no reason at all, she kept a bit more of a distance from Victor. She felt bad for Benji because she knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of a Victor Salazar dumping; she just didn’t know what it felt like for him to come back. It would take a little bit of time for her to fully trust Victor again, but as she observes how the two interact throughout the party, a bit of that trust does come back. Still, she has had Andrew to keep her company since the previous summer, so not all was lost.

Everyone except for Felix brought a few more friends with them; Lake, of course, brought the most. There are quite a few people at the party who have either never met Benji or have only met him once at a previous party. They don’t ask any questions about Benji’s relationship with Victor because they never knew what was going on anyway. For both Benji and Victor, talking to those people is actually quite a nice escape from having to explain the past year of their lives to their friends.

Throughout the course of the night, they discover that Lake likes wine. A lot. She likes it so much, in fact, that Benji ends up switching it out with grape juice when she isn’t looking. He has seen wine drunk before, but this is bad. It also is not surprising.

The party goes well, even though the apartment is packed. They probably wouldn’t be able to fit even one more person in there. In addition, so many people are drunk that a simple task such as navigating to the bathroom becomes difficult because there is no longer a direct path.

Victor and Benji stick by each other through the duration of the party. In support of his boyfriend, Victor decides not to drink. It’s not that he feels manipulated by Benji; he just doesn’t think that the cost-benefit is really worth it. Benji doesn’t care either way; he is happy just to have Victor by his side.

* * *

Benji notices the time. 11:53. It’s getting close.

He pours a glass of champagne for everyone except for himself, Lake, and a few others who are too drunk for more alcohol; they all get sparkling apple cider. He hands out the glasses appropriately.

The crowd gathers around the television to watch the countdown to the ball drop in Times Square. They count down together.

“FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

At this moment, without thinking too much about it, Victor and Benji share a New Year’s kiss. It is the first time they have kissed since last December. But it is the best kiss they have shared since November.

As they pull away from each other, they both grin widely and look each other in the eyes. They both realize that neither of them stopped to think about whether it might be too soon. It just felt right. And neither one of them regrets it.

Their kiss was enough to distract them from the celebratory party poppers releasing confetti and glitter all over the apartment. They laugh together as they acknowledge the mess that will be waiting to be cleaned up afterwards. Thankfully, they both know that no mess is too big for them to manage.

The party winds down after a couple more hours of celebration. Eventually, the only people left are Mia, Andrew, Lake, Felix, Victor, and Benji.

“Andrew and I are going to take Lake home,” Mia tells Benji as she helps Lake out of her heels. “I think she needs to go to sleep.”

“Yeah, that seems like a good idea,” Benji chuckles.

They take off, leaving just the three boys that were there at the beginning of the party.

“I should take off, too,” Felix says. “It’s really late.”

“I’ll go with you,” Victor says.

“Wait!” Benji says a little bit more aggressively than he means. “Um, actually, Vic, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to stay here tonight.”

Victor hesitates, wondering if it might be too soon.

“Uh, nothing has to happen,” Benji clarifies, once again sort of reading Victor’s mind. “I’m pretty tired anyway. I just wanted to spend the night with you.”

Victor’s lips turn up into a smile, his eyes soft. He then suddenly remembers that Felix is standing right beside him, and he turns his glance from his boyfriend to his best friend.

“Stay,” Felix urges Victor before he can get any words out.

“Are you sure?” Victor asks.

“I’ll be fine,” Felix chuckles. “You need this.”

“Thanks,” Victor says, his soft laugh joined by Benji’s.

“No problem, buddy. You two have a good night.”

Felix takes off with a smile, leaving just Victor and Benji.

“So,” Victor says a bit nervously, noticing the empty wine and beer bottles as well as the glitter and confetti all over Benji’s previously pristine-looking floor, “should, uh – should we clean up?”

“We can save it for later,” Benji chuckles. “I’m tired. Let’s just go to bed. You can sleep next to me tonight.”

“Yeah,” Victor says. There is still a sense of nervousness in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” Benji picks up on Victor’s nerves immediately.

“Noth--”

“And don’t say nothing. I know you too well.”

Victor sighs. “Okay,” he admits, “I guess I just don’t know if I can really grasp what’s happening right now. I mean, I turned away from you, and now you’re just inviting me right back into your bed. Why?”

Benji sighs, and he takes Victor’s hands. “Victor, I love you. You were scared, and you made a mistake. But we found each other again and came right back to each other. Look, this won’t always be easy, and we’re not always going to make all the right decisions. But I want to be here with you through all of that. I’m not going anywhere.”

Victor takes a deep breath, and he relaxes a little bit, all the way into Benji’s arms.

“What’s next for us?” Victor asks, his nerves now starting to come back.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what does our future look like? I just don’t want this to end again.”

“Well,” Benji reflects, “someone very wise once told me that stories never really end because we have our whole lives ahead of us.”

"Who said that?” Victor struggles to remember.

“You, dummy!” Benji laughs and playfully shoves Victor away.

“Oh yeah,” Victor laughs, remembering that advice he gave in a time when he was very deep in thought.

“But yeah,” Benji continues, softer now, “once you finish one chapter of the story, you pick up a pen and write the next one. So that’s what we’ll do.”

Victor’s smile fades into a soft frown. “But what happens when you get to the end of the book?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re not there yet.”

Victor nods, and he takes a deep breath. He realizes that he is tired, and all he wants to do is curl up next to Benji in bed. “You’re right. Let’s go to sleep.”

“Yeah,” Benji agrees softly.

The two boys get ready for bed. As they lie down next to each other, their bodies become reacquainted and the warmth that they provide each other is unmatched. This feels right. The fact that they haven’t done this in over a year escapes both of their minds, and they don’t give it a second thought. This is where both of them need to be.

Benji wraps his arms around his boyfriend, and he holds on tightly. In this position, they fall asleep, comfortable and safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading if you got this far! What comes next for Victor and Benji? You'll just have to find out!


	3. Lover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year has passed since Benji and Victor made up with each other. They have moved in together, and they are now both in college. They have their friends over for Christmas Eve. What will this occasion entail?
> 
> "All's well that ends well to end up with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! To get into the holiday spirit, here is a progression of Venji holidays! Each chapter is based in a song by Taylor Swift. Shoutout to [ThatOneGaySlytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneGaySlytherin/pseuds/ThatOneGaySlytherin), whose folklore-based series inspired the idea! The third chapter is inspired by the song, "Lover". Enjoy!

_Christmas Eve 2022_

The cold metal object on Simon’s left ring finger clunks against the armrest on the side of the chair as he taps his fingers, waiting to feast on Christmas dinner. His other hand holds onto Bram’s left hand, the feeling of Bram’s ring a comforting reminder of their steadiness together. It is their first Christmas together since the wedding. They attempted to meet the previous year, but their families insisted that they spend one more holiday at home before taking off to live their own lives. Of course they were happy for Simon and Bram; the news hit Nora particularly hard, though. She had gotten used to her brother going off to college, but she still misses having him around. It’s funny how a huge life event like this one could actually get a little sister to admit that. Still, she was happy to be their ring bearer for such a special occasion, and she could never be happier for her brother.

Rarely does one find themselves fortunate enough to hang onto high school friendships after graduation, yet here sit Mia, Andrew, Felix, Lake, Simon, and Bram in the living room of Victor’s and Benji’s apartment. None of them take for granted their gathering, as their college paths have separated them into different directions. Mia got a scholarship to Rice University in Houston for art. Felix moved northward to Pennsylvania to study psychology. Andrew and Lake both stayed rather close to home at Georgia State, Lake to study marketing, and Andrew on a basketball scholarship. Everyone in the group was ecstatic to receive the invitation, eager to rekindle their still-close friendships and make up for lost time.

Victor followed Benji into community college, neither of them quite sure of what they wanted to do yet. It’s fine, though, since they still have time. What matters to them is that they are doing it together. The apartment into which they moved couldn’t be more perfect for their cozy lifestyle at this point in time. It takes a little bit of effort to fit all of their friends in, but it is well worth it.

The apartment is decorated with strands of lights that hang up from wall to wall across the ceiling. Because it is their first Christmas living together, they want to savor it and make it last as long as possible. They have no plans in mind to take the lights down; they will do it when they feel ready. They have a small light-up tree in the corner of the living room; it is not so large that one could fit presents underneath of it, but it is decorative and festive enough for the occasion. Benji and Victor even took care to add some festive holiday accessories to the fishbowl that houses two stunning zebra danios – they had always wanted to get a pet together; they added a small Santa figurine as a waterproof light-up Christmas castle.

“Benji,” Felix asks him as the group sits in the living room, “are we sleeping in here?”

“Yep,” Benji confirms. The invitation was clear that it would be a Christmas Eve slumber party; there is just something that the hosts liked about waking up and seeing their friends immediately on Christmas Day. It was Victor’s idea, but the idea was particularly appealing to Benji for a variety of reasons, not all of which he would reveal to Victor. Not yet, at least. “The couch is a pull out, and we have a couple of air mattresses, so you can situate yourself wherever you’re comfortable.”

“So what should we do while we wait?” Lake asks. “I love it here, but I’m bored.”

Mia and Andrew both chuckle, noting to themselves that Lake hasn’t lost her humor and sense of spontaneity.

“Well,” Benji says as he takes out his guitar, “I’ve been working on some new music lately. I could play a little for you all.”

“That would be lovely,” Mia replies. It has never been a secret that she and Benji inspired each other as artists. Mia would sometimes create abstract works based on Benji’s music, and Benji would sometimes be influenced my some of Mia’s artwork to write even more music. Some of their best works came from the influence they had on each other since, after all, art inspires art.

“This is a piece I wrote for solo guitar, so there are no lyrics,” Benji explains. “Is that okay with everyone?”

Once all of his guests respond in the affirmative, Benji begins to play some expressive melodic music on his guitar. He has considered music as a career, but he still is not sure whether he wants to do it for profit or not. There is something that does not sit well with him about his hobby becoming his job. Either way, he invests a lot of time into his music, and it almost always pays off in the end.

As he finishes his expressive song without words, silence engulfs the room for a brief moment as the audience lets the music settle. Then, applause ensues as everyone congratulates Benji on a job well done.

“Victor!” Bram calls out. “You’ve got yourself a keeper!”

“He’s mine, and you can’t have him!” Victor shouts back from the kitchen, eliciting laughter from the group.

“I’m right here, you know?” Simon says with a playful laugh.

“You know I’m not going anywhere,” Bram takes Simon’s hand, and the two men smile at each other. “I made a vow to be with you always and forever.”

“I remember,” Simon recalls with a grin. “Always and forever.”

“Do you guys wanna hear more?” Benji asks, and he is met with more positive responses.

* * *

Victor works on cooking Christmas Eve dinner. He has always loved cooking for Benji, especially since Benji would always compliment the result. He felt that this holiday celebration was an opportunity to share his culinary expertise with some more of the most important people in his life. Plus, he has always felt as though cooking for people is a way to show that he cares. He insisted on cooking the meal himself. On the one hand, he is very particular about his cooking, and he couldn’t handle the thought of too many people in the kitchen; he imagines that would get overwhelming. Also, though, Victor doesn’t want his party guests or his boyfriend to have to work this holiday. He took care of all of the decorating and preparation, not letting Benji lift a finger. When Benji would try to help, he would protest. Victor just wants to be the best host possible and make everyone feel at home and welcome, a mindset he supposes that he gets from his mom.

As Victor cooks, he listens to his boyfriend’s angelic voice singing Christmas songs to their guests with guitar accompaniment. Victor just can’t seem to get enough of the sound of Benji’s absolutely beautiful music; it rings in his ears and his heart whenever he goes to sleep at night and every time he wakes up in the morning. If Benji could just sing to him all the time, Victor would be content.

There is something about Bram’s comment that both satisfies and unnerves Victor. Although Victor knows that Bram is committed to Simon and that he is no threat, he can’t help but to feel protective of his own relationship with Benji. He is also aware that Lake has always found Benji attractive, but knows she is no threat because Benji is gay. Still, the feeling that anyone could just snatch Benji up out of nowhere leaves a deep sinking feeling in Victor’s gut. Therefore, when Victor rejoins the room while the food is in the oven, he makes it a point to cuddle up next to Benji and remind everyone that the two of them are an item that cannot easily be broken.

Victor’s soft green sweater feels amazing on Benji’s face as Benji lays his head on his boyfriend’s chest. Victor’s arms surround Benji, providing warmth and comfort. They sit like this as long as it takes for the oven to finish cooking their food while the rest of the group of friends sits around and plays board games to pass the time and catch up with each other.

“Dinner is just about ready!” Victor says as he hears the timer beeping from the kitchen.

Benji reluctantly pulls himself off of Victor’s body, so badly wanting this moment to last forever. Knowing his own intentions, Benji remains calm and comforted, even in the physical absence of his boyfriend.

Benji leads everyone over to the tables they have set up. They have their standard dining room table, but it only seats four. They had to borrow a card table and some folding chairs from Mia’s parents, Harold and Veronica, to accommodate seating for the whole group. While everyone sits down, Benji makes sure to leave a spot open for Victor right next to his.

Victor takes the turkey out of the oven, and carries it over to the table to start serving. His original intention was to make a Christmas ham, but they wanted to be considerate in accommodating Bram, so they decided that poultry was the way to go.

“ _Bon Appétit_ ,” Victor says as he places the food down on the table. “Hope you enjoy!”

“Vic, this looks delicious!” Simon exclaims.

“It smells delicious!” Felix adds on.

“You know, Salazar, I had my doubts,” Andrew said, “but it seems like you’re going to come through. Still have to see how it tastes, though.”

Victor gives Andrew a quick glare. Their relationship with each other isn’t quite like it used to be. They are much friendlier with each other now than they were a few years ago. The teasing and banter just seems to work for them, though, and it is something that they appreciate getting to share.

A knock at the door captures Victor’s attention. “I’ll get it!” he says.

He opens the door to his sister standing there, almost out of breath.

“Sorry I’m late,” she says, panting. “I missed the bus and got here as quickly as I could.”

“It’s fine,” Victor chuckles. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course,” Pilar, the only high school student left in the room, says to them. She adds with a sly smile, “I couldn’t miss out on seeing these lame people again.”

Victor rolls his eyes as he lets Pilar in and she takes her coat and shoes off. He goes to sit down next to Benji.

“Over here,” Mia says kindly to Pilar, “come and slide in between me and Felix, and take a seat. We’re just about to start eating.”

Benji leans over to Victor and whispers, just quietly enough so that only Victor can hear, “I have something you can slide into later.”

Victor can hardly contain his laughter, as he lets out a puff of air from his nose and then stops himself. His eyes widen and his eyebrows rise despite his enormous grin. Benji simply responds with a wink, and Victor shakes his head, blood rushing to his face and to other places to which it would be inappropriate to draw attention during a Christmas Eve with friends.

“What are you two laughing about?” Andrew teases, noticing Victor’s blush and recognizing that it is too good an opportunity to pass up.

“Just about which one of us you think is hotter,” Benji retorts with the sole intention of making Andrew, a straight guy, uncomfortable enough to get off their backs. It works as Andrew looks away and Benji and Victor both continue their laughter.

The group enjoys Victor’s meal, catching up and laughing, just like old times.

* * *

_Clink. Clink. Clink._

The table quiets as everyone looks over to Benji unexpectedly tapping a fork against his glass.

“Hi,” Benji says awkwardly, “Merry Christmas, everyone! I’m really glad that you were all able to make it tonight. So, I know this is a little weird, but I want to make a toast.”

Those gathered around the table give small curious nods, allowing Benji to continue.

“I would like to make a toast to Christmas, to friends, and to Victor, my incredible boyfriend who I have no idea what I would do without,” Benji continues sweetly, Victor’s lips turning up into a smile as he looks up at his now standing boyfriend.

A chorus of “aw’s” echoes around the table.

Benji looks at Victor and keeps going, “Victor, when we first met almost three years ago you stole my heart.”

Victor melts at the story, remembering that day in the hallway at Creekwood when he stood stunned at the sight of a beautiful boy who he thought he could never have. Others around the table also reminisce, even Mia, whose support has only grown for the couple of young men.

“And I know that what we’ve had hasn’t always been perfect and that we’ve had more than our fair share of turbulence,” Benji says. “I know that your insecurities have overcome you at some points, but that doesn’t stop me from loving you. You’ve brought an energy and light to my life that I never even knew was possible. And I want that in my life forever.”

All of a sudden, gasps can be heard around the table as Benji’s voice shakes and he reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small black box.

“Victor Salazar,” he says, his voice now wobbly as he lowers himself to a knee and opens the box, the dam behind Victor’s corneas erupting almost instantaneously while muffled pouts of excitement begin to fill the room, “will you make me the happiest man on--”

“YES!” Victor shouts through his tears, not waiting for Benji to finish. He instead quickly pulls Benji up onto his feet and sinks his lips into his new fiancé’s.

Cheers and applause echo throughout the room, unnoticed by either one of them because of how strongly they are drawn towards each other. The feeling of their love for each other drowns out any other noise.

Their kiss breaks apart, and they stand smiling widely at each other, their eyes reddened from the tears. They each put their hand up to the other’s cheek, using their thumbs to wipe those tears away, feeling a connection so powerful that no amount of outside noise could break it.

"Oh, uh,” Benji remembers and laughs, “The ring?”

“Right,” Victor chuckles as he holds out his trembling hand, still muffling a cry. His other hand covers his mouth, still from the shock of it all.

Benji takes the ring out of the box and gently slides it onto Victor’s finger, a cacophony of congratulations sounding from their dinner guests.

They kiss again, and after they do, Victor leans into Benji and nestles his head on Benji’s shoulder. Their magnetic pull towards each other doesn’t allow them to break their contact as they sit down, cozying up to one another for the rest of the night.

They are young. They both know that. But there is no question in either of their minds. They belong together, and they will never let anything tear them apart.

“Merry Christmas,” Benji whispers to his fiancé.

Victor’s head still on Benji’s shoulder, he whispers back, “I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far! These last two chapters were really fun to write! As you could see, this one was pure fluff, and it is equivalent to a hallmark movie. The next one is too!


	4. Christmas Tree Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a proposal, many years pass, and Benji and Victor enjoy domestic life.
> 
> "And you would be there too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! To get into the holiday spirit, here is a progression of Venji holidays! Each chapter is based in a song by Taylor Swift. Shoutout to [ThatOneGaySlytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneGaySlytherin/pseuds/ThatOneGaySlytherin), whose folklore-based series inspired the idea! The last chapter is inspired by the song, "Christmas Tree Farm". Enjoy! (I highly recommend listening to the song along with this chapter)

_December 23, 2036_

The snow glistens in the hour of dusk on the night before Christmas Eve outside of a modest suburban house with a small hill in the back that is perfect for sledding.

“Dads! Dads!” the seven-year-old Campbell-Salazar triplets eagerly shout in canon as they get ready to leave. This is followed by an excited chorus of “I’m ready!” and “Can we go now?!”

“You’re not ready, Mia Isabella,” Victor says to one of his daughters sweetly while playfully poking her nose, “until you put on a coat. You need to stay warm!”

Benji quickly takes notice of his mischievous son once again sneaking into the batch of Christmas cookies that was sent over by their neighbors, and gets his attention. “A.B.!” Short for Armando Benjamin. “You’ve had enough sweets! Go help your sister, Camila!”

In the corner of the room, an excited Camila Adrianna Campbell-Salazar struggles to put on her boots to go out into the rare Atlanta snow. A.B. follows his dad’s instruction and helps his sister, while Victor helps Mia into her winter coat.

“Papi,” Mia asks Victor, “why is Dad yelling at A.B.?”

“Because your brother eats too much sugar,” Victor explains.

“I do not!” A.B. interjects upon overhearing the conversation.

Victor gives his son the fatherly stink-eye to let him know that he won’t take a challenge to his authority.

“Everyone get in the car so we can go pick out a tree!” Benji pushes his kids, trying to sound excited, but the holiday chaos still weighs on him.

Thankfully, the kids don’t notice the tension, and they run to the car in excitement. Victor, knowing his husband, can sense the stress.

“Don’t run!” Benji worriedly warns his precious children. “It’s icy! You’ll slip and fall!”

Benji sighs as he feels his husband’s warm breath on the back of his neck, and Victor’s arms wrap around his torso.

“You okay?” Victor asks him.

“Just stressed,” Benji admits. “I want this holiday to be perfect.”

“They can’t all be perfect, love.”

“I know,” Benji says, “but they’re just so special. I just want the best for them.”

“I know,” Victor replies. “You’re doing a great job, Dad.”

“You, too, Papi,” Benji smiles and takes ahold of Victor’s hand. Even as the two men get older, their touch always feels new.

“I want the window seat!” they are suddenly distracted by their kids’ fighting.

“No, I want it!”

“Mia! Camila got to it first, so she gets it!” Benji yells out.

“No fair!” Mia shouts back.

“Sorry, that’s the rule!” Benji says.

“A plus parenting,” Victor teases, prompting Benji to reach behind himself and give his husband a playful little slap on the face. Of course, Victor’s only response is to giggle, simultaneously amused by his husband’s feigned annoyance and in adoration of the lengths he would go for their amazing kids.

Victor stands for just a moment as Benji goes to their minivan to make sure the triplets are buckled into their car seats. He looks onto his incredible family, something he still can’t believe that he was lucky enough to have gained. Of course he loves the relationship he has with his kids, but he loves the relationships they have with their other dad, too. While he watches Benji kiss Mia’s forehead to console her for not getting to sit by the window, he reflects on the people who have helped him get to this point. He sees those people in his kids, too. His high school friend, Mia Brooks, has come around for this family time and time again. Auntie Pilar and Uncle Adrian visit for every holiday and birthday, save Christmas, which is reserved for _Abuela_ Isabel and _Abuelo_ Armando to host. When the triplets were born, Lake insisted that she didn’t need a namesake, feeling as though the surrogacy was enough of an honor. Felix felt the same way as he helped Lake through that time. The Westons couldn’t have been more up to the task, and Victor and Benji have always felt that they owed an enormous debt of gratitude despite their protests. After all, it resulted in three large pieces of the men’s hearts manifesting themselves into beautiful babies. No matter how old they get, they will always be just that – babies.

“Papi, you coming?” Benji calls out with a laugh, noticing Victor’s reflective stillness.

“Yeah,” Victor replies calmly, not in any hurry, wanting to make this moment last forever.

He makes his way over to the driver’s seat. Benji doesn’t like to drive, but Victor doesn’t mind that. To Victor, driving brings a sense of peace, especially when he knows it is his family that he is taking places. He likes to believe that he is driving them to happiness and prosperity.

The streets are packed with cars because of the shopping rush, but it doesn’t really bother Victor that much. He sees the traffic less as something that slows him down and more as another thing in life that reminds him to take his time and enjoy what is right in front of him.

Victor is quiet as he drives, taking in the sounds of his children’s frolicsome banter and occasional light bickering. He cherishes it all as Benji even joins in on their fun, laughing along with them and moderating when necessary.

Benji loves his kids. There is no denying that. And he loves them all equally. He has always had a special relationship with his son, though, who has Victor’s skin and Benji’s eyes. Every time Benji looks at little Armando Benjamin, he sees every last moment he has ever spent with his husband, everything that has ultimately led up to their near-perfect life. Of course, his two little girls are also precious to him. Turning around from the passenger seat, he sees them bundled up in their winter coats which serve as barriers to their ticklish frames. The excited smiles on the kids’ faces warm Benji’s heart as they arrive at the Christmas tree lot.

It’s a modest lot in the city downtown. It isn’t exactly the fanciest one that exists anywhere around, but it is within their budget, and they have been going there for years to get their trees.

As they get out of the van, the fresh and familiar aroma of pine fills the air. A string of colorful lights hangs on the makeshift wooden grated ceiling that rises over the luscious green shrubbery. The pavement covered with a thin dusting of snow, Victor and Benji once again need to remind the kids not to run.

They roam around for a bit, bundled in their coats, the children with decorative mittens to fit their small hands.

“Oh! Papi! I want this one!” A.B. shouts out as he holds Victor’s hand during their walk through the display.

Benji, looking at trees across the aisle and holding his daughters’ hands, turns around as he takes notice of his son’s excitement. Mia and Camila also join into the chorus of enthusiasm at the tree whose branches are full and green with pine needles. Victor and Benji look at each other and nod, deciding that if it’s what their kids want, it’s what they’ll get. Every tree in the lot seems fine, but this one is special. It is special because it is the one that bonds them in this moment, right here, right now.

The couple calls over to the people working in the lot, and they request that they prepare the tree for them to take it home. The man who runs the business works on cutting off the stump and securing the tree so that the Campbell-Salazars can tie it to the roof of their car.

While the work is being done, the kids drink some of the complimentary hot apple cider that is offered to foster a sense of community among customers. As festive music plays over gentle speakers, they dance around and play innocently.

The sun has set, but the fire illuminates the space, its warmth radiating across the lot, and the sweet scent of cherry firewood colliding with the aromas of pine and cider.

“Hey,” Victor takes his husband’s hand and smiles over by the fire while their kids play.

“Hey, babe,” Benji smiles back.

“You said you wanted this holiday to be perfect?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it is.”

“What makes you say that?” Benji asks with a small innocent laugh.

“Because you’re here,” Victor replies softly.

The only response Benji can give to this is to smile and lean into his husband. They both chuckle when they notice mistletoe hanging above them. They kiss, the taste of peppermint lingering on Victor’s lips from the candy cane he ate earlier.

“Ew! Kissing is gross!” Camila interrupts as the two dads pull apart and chuckle.

“Nothing to see here! Go play with your siblings!” Victor laughs off the encounter as he playfully waves his daughter away.

Camila obeys, and Benji lets out a giggle of his own, still mesmerized by his husband’s sweetness.

“I love you, Victor,” he says.

“I love you, too, Benji.”

They both smile and kiss again.

“Merry Christmas, babe,” Victor says sweetly.

“Merry Christmas.”

As they stand with their foreheads pressed together, Benji’s hands on Victor’s waist, and Victor’s hands on Benji’s shoulders, they savor the moment and wish that time could freeze right here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!! I really hope you enjoyed this! It was so fun to write, and I loved doing it! Once again, a shoutout to ThatOneGaySlytherin for inspiring the idea. Happy Holidays, everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first installment! There are three more. I know this one feels a bit ansgsty, but I promise, it gets better! Thank you for reading!


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